Wednesday, September 7, 2011

I can remember bringing a lunch to school for nearly every day of elementary school because aside from the one or two days a month when the cafeteria served cheese pizza, it was just never that appetizing.

So every day I toted my brown paper-bagged lunch and every day when I was done eating I would throw that bag away and head out to recess. Simple enough, right?

Well, here it is decades later and when Big Sister E needs to bring a lunch to preschool, things are a little different. First of all, figuring out what to pack for her due to the nut-free rule that her school has confounds me every single time. The girl could eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for just about every meal, so now what?

Second of all, do those packs of brown lunch bags still exist? In this day and age, it's all about reusing and going green, so of course we don't do disposable, we do lunch boxes. And not just any lunch box. Because when it comes to selecting one that I know she will want to carry day in and day out, we turned to one of our favorite sites for personalized gifts: Frecklebox.

When it comes time for a gift that is well-made, unique and has that personal touch that makes it special, Frecklebox has you covered. From items for home, school or just for fun, you won't find this level of stylish design and whimsy anywhere else - and the lucky young recipient of your gift will be able to enjoy it for years and years to come.

What I didn't realize, was just how long it would take to choose our favorite.

With over 125 design choices (So. Many. Lunch boxes!) Big Sister E and I slowly narrowed the selection down a little further and a little further, until she was left with her top three. After another extremely difficult few minutes, we finally had the winner: Cheerful Friends.

Measuring 7⅝" x 6¾" x 4," this colorful, adorable lunch box is just the right size for small hands but with plenty of room for a large appetite. The bright mix of colors, variety of cute animals and all-around cheerful design made us smile from the moment we brought it out of the box.

Big Sister E couldn't wait to try it out and immediately began filling the lunch box with her play food in anticipation of really being able to use it.

As well as the customization on the outside with Big Sister E's name (which, thanks to Frecklebox's great software, we were able to preview the lunch box before ordering it to know exactly what it would look like), the inside of this tin container holds a surprise as well.

A chalkboard on the inside of the lid! I love that Frecklebox took the extra step to include such a fun, unique feature that allows moms and dads to leave a sweet note or cute drawing to let their child know that they're thinking about them. It just completes the overall package and personalization that this lunch box provides.

The reaction from Big Sister E (as well as everyone else who has seen this lunch box) has been overwhelmingly positive and I have no doubt that this will be a treasured lunch box for years to come. Retailing for $29.95, these do cost slightly more than what is found in stores, but where else is a kid going to get to choose exactly the style that they want and then have their name put right on it?

From personalized placemats to celebrate eating like a big kid to personalized notebooks to carry proudly to school, Frecklebox has a gift for any occasion, big or small. For birthdays, holidays, back to school or just childhood, you will always end up with a unique, charming, completely customized gift that is sure to be a hit.

Plus, thanks to the generosity of Frecklebox, one person will get to surprise a lucky child in their life with a special personalized surprise, because...

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Frecklebox on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN a $30 gift card to @Frecklebox, the best site for personalized gifts for kids! http://bit.ly/pU36La @thxmailcarrier #win #giveaway

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Giveaway will end on September 28th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Frecklebox for providing a Personalized Lunch Box for me to review and a $30 gift certificate for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.